Sholpan Ziganshina is a winter swimming instructor, a winner of various championships and World Cups, with 26 awards. She also holds the title of Arctic Model - Ice Woman. To get this title, one has to stay in the cold for six hours a day in a swimming costume. She has been a professional cold model since 2016.

The master's student of ecology of Siberia and the Arctic, researcher of aquatic ecosystems, tested 120 bodies of water around the world for her master's thesis. She has been swimming in the Arctic regions (Bering Sea, Laptev Sea, Barents Sea, White Sea). From 23 September to 9 November, Sholpan Ziganshina will carry out a series of swims in lakes in the Caucasus Mountains at altitudes ranging from 500 to 3200 meters above sea level, in water with a temperature of +2°C.

The main goal of the project is to study the effects of cold on the human body and its consequences, as well as the adaptation of individuals in extreme environments. The project also aims to popularize winter swimming as an Olympic sport in Russia and to provide an overview of the unique natural conditions and strong people who live in the Caucasus, a multinational region.

The "Queen of Cold" has covered 178,000 kilometers in 900 days, visiting 7 countries and all 89 regions of Russia, despite being visually impaired. She remains active, participating in events for children, orphanages and sports organizations.